System of gas storage and delivery



(No Model.)

P. MOORE.

SYSTEM 0E GAS STORAGE AND DELIVERY.

No. 442,325. Paten-ted Dec. 9, 1890.

FIGA.

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UNTTen STATES PATENT OFFICE..

FRANK MOORE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SYSTEM OF GAS STORAGE AND DELIVERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 442,325, dated Deember 9, 1890.

Application iled January 6, 1890. Serial No. 335,993. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK MOORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a certain new and useful Improvement in Systems of Gas Storage and Delivery, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide for the storage and continuous delivery to distributingmains of gas at a delivery pressure of higher degree than that at which it is received from the source of generation or primary supply; to which end my invention, generally stated, consists in the combination of two or more gas-holders, each working in a hydraulic seal-tank, means for mechanically elevating and depressing the gas-holders in their respective tanks, and valved pipes connecting the gas-holders one with the other and with inlet and outlet pipes.

The improvementclaimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure l is a plan or top view of au apparatus for storing and delivering gas embodying myinven tion, and Fig. 2 a vertical section at the line .r x of Fig. l.

In the practice of my invention I provide a series of two or more gas-holders, in this instance three holders l, l, and l1* being shown, which are of the ordinary cylindrical type and are fitted to move vertically in tanks of water 2, to which their lower ends are open and by which they are sealed in the usual manner. An inlet-pipe 5, leading from the source of generation or supply, communicates with pipes 5, 5b, and 5, which are controlled by valves and extend upwardly into the gasholders l, l, and ll, respectively, their upper ends being open and located above the highest level of the water in the several tanks. Discharge-pipes G, 6", and 6, controlled by valves and similarly extending into the gas-holders l, l, and lb, communicate with an outlet or delivery pipe (3 and pipes Gd, GQ, and Gf, which are likewise governed by valves and extend each into two gas-holders that is, the pipe Gd into the holders l and l, the pipe 6e into the holders l and l, and the pipe Gf into the holders lb and land admit of communication being established between one holder and another as from time to time required in the operation of the apparatus.

Then two gas-holders only are employed, each of said holders is adapt-ed to be mechanically elevated and depressed in its tank in order to effect the compression of the gas in the holders, and also its exhaustion from the inlet-pipe into the holders when the conditions of supply are such as to require such exhaustion. To this end each of the two holders is provided with a steam-engine or other motor 7, which, through suitable gearing and connections, elevates and depresses the holder as required. Such construction does not in and of itself constitute part of the invention herein claimed, and being, moreover, exemplified in an application for Letters Patent, led by me January 2, 1890, Serial No. 335,621, will not be herein at length set forth.

In the ease of the employment of three or more gas-holders, one of the same, as in this instance the holder l, which is used as t-he final or delivery holder, is made of considerably greater capacity than the others, and may be loaded with a weight, as a tank of water 7", fixed upon its top, to maintain the desired delivery pressure, instead of being provided with a direct power-actuated motor for depressing it, as in the preceding case, its elevation being ellected by the inflow of the gas under pressure. The remaining gasholders of the series are provided with motors and gearing for applying power therefrom to the holders, as before specified.

In operation, assuming first that two gasholders are employed, one of said holders, as l, is first iilled with gas at the supply-pressure from the inlet-pipe 5, and the holder is then depressed and the gas compressed therein to final-delivery pressure. The valve of the pi pe. is then closed and that of the pipe 5c is opened, and the holder lb is filled with gas at supply-pressure and the gas similarly compressed by the depression of said holder. During the llling of the holdcrl1` and the compression of the gas therein the valve of the discharge-pipe tb is opened, and the gas at higher pressure in the holder l is discharged to the outlet-pipe G and deliverymain. XYhen the compression of the gas in the holder ll is completed, the valve of the pipe 5C is closed and that of the Dipe GC is.

opened, and the .compressed gas from the holder lb is discharged to the outlet-pipe and delivery-main, the operation of refilling and compression of the gas in the holder 1 being meanwhile again effected. A continuous storage and delivery of gas at a pressure greater than that of the supply is thus maintained, and the holders are enabled to serve as exhausters where the employment of the same is necessary or desirable, one of the holders being moved upward while the other is moved downward.

In the case of the employment of a series of more than two gas-holders, one of said holders, as l, is preferably made of comparatively large capacity relatively to the others and is used as the deliveryholder, being either weighted, as shown, by a tank of water 7a or other weight fixed upon it, to effect the maintenance of the desired delivery pressure, or beingprovided with a motor and gearing` for depressing it bythe application of power. The remaining holders of the series are provided with actuating-motors and valved pipeconnections, as before described.

In operation the holder ln is iirst filled with gas at supply pressure, which is then compressed to delivery pressure by the depression of the holder l, during which the holder l forces the gas at such pressure into the delivery-holder l. lVhile the gas is being compressed in the holder l the holder 1b is receiving gas at supply pressure, the charge of gas being then compressed by the depression of t-he holder ll. XVhen the holder 1l has been filled, the holder l has completed its discharge into the holder l, and the holder l" then commences to compress and discharge at delivery pressure into the holder l, during which compression the holder l is being again charged at supply pressure for subsequent compression and delivery.

Two comparatively small holders, which can be constructed at inconsiderable cost and readily and economically operated, may under this construction be employed to charge a comparatively large delivery-holder, thus insuring a continuous delivery and giving an ample capacity for storage during periods in which gas is not being supplied.

AI claim as my invention and desire to seeure by Letters Patentl. The combination of two gas-holders, each working in a hydraulic seal-tank, depressing mechanism connected to each of said holders for the compression of the contained gas by the positive application of power, valved inlet and outlet pipes leading into each of said holders, and a valved pipe leading from one holder into the other, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of two or more compressing gas-holders, each working in a hydraulic seal-tank, motors connected with each of said holders and adapted to effect the elevation and depression thereof in their tanks, valved inlet and outlet pipes leading into each of said holders, an independent delivery gas-holder, valved pipes leading from the delivery-holder into each of the compressingholders and from each compressing-holder into another com pressing-holder, and a valved pipe leading from the delivery-holder into the outlet-pipe, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of two or more compressing gas-holders of relatively small capacity, each working in a hydraulic seal-tank, motors connected with each of said holders and adapted to effect the elevation and depression thereof in their tanks, valved inlet and outlet pipes leading into each of said holders, an independent delivery gas-holder of comparatively large capacity relatively to the compressing-holders, a weight fixed to said holder to maintain required deliverypressure therein, valved pipes leading from the delivery-holder into each of the compressing-holders and from each compressing-holder into another compressing-holder, and a valved pipe leading from the delivery-holder into the outlet-pipe, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK MOORE.

Witnesses:

J. SNOWDEN BELL, R. Il. WHITTLESEY. 

